THE ANSWER IS THE CROSS

Mark 14:57-60

⁵⁷ Then some men stood up and presented this false witness against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.'” ⁵⁹ Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. ⁶⁰ And the high priest stood up in the middle of them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men are testifying against you?”

no answer

The high priest’s question rings in our ears today, because we are still asking it. Every time a human being looks at poverty, crime, indignity, and injustice – then asks God why he does not intervene — we are putting Jesus on trial all over again. The silence of Jesus at his trial is the answer we get – because the cross is the answer we need. All sin and evil finds its answer in that one act of sacrificial love. All eternal righteousness and good will stem from that day when the creator chose not to defend himself, but to take on himself the atoning work.

When we encounter wrong and sin and injustice, crime and indignity and shame – we have a choice. We can look accusingly to Jesus to defend his inaction, or we can trust the gospel. We can choose to believe that our Lord has every matter under his control, and that he will prevail.

LORD, give us the insight to stop asking you “why?” and find the answer in your plan.